African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is intensifying efforts to curb Africa’s reliance on overseas medical treatment as its flagship Abuja hospital logs early operational gains, treating more than 5,000 patients in its first year and positioning itself as a regional hub for advanced specialist care.
The push was reinforced during a working tour of Nigeria and the wider region by George Elombi, President of Afreximbank who visited the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja last friday and reaffirmed the institution’s long-term commitment to building what it describes as Africa’s health care sovereignty.
Developed by Afreximbank in partnership with King’s College Hospital, London, the AMCE was designed to address a structural gap in Africa’s healthcare systems by expanding access to high-end specialist services, strengthening clinical capacity, and building research and training ecosystems that reduce the need for medical travel abroad.
In its first year of operation, the Centre has transitioned from concept to measurable output, registering more than 5,000 patients from over 20 countries across four continents, a scale that positions it among emerging regional referral hubs for advanced treatment.
Beyond patient volumes, the hospital has begun delivering complex procedures previously unavailable in much of West Africa, including the region’s first Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for lung cancer, a non-invasive precision treatment that eliminates the need for overseas referral in selected cases.
It has also completed its first triple coronary artery bypass graft surgery, performed two stem cell transplants, and delivered a range of cardiac interventions as it builds out capacity in oncology, haematology and cardiovascular care.
During his visit, Elombi said the early performance of the Centre reflects both institutional intent and execution capacity within Africa’s development finance ecosystem.
“The success of this Centre reflects the depth of talent assembled here and the pan-African spirit that underpins its service,” he said.
According to him, “the vision that inspired the conception and construction of the facility is the same conviction now being carried forward by the medical professionals delivering care to the continent.”
” The AMCE provides health services and advances Africa’s health sovereignty while affirming our collective capacity to take responsibility for our own lives and future.”
The AMCE is a world-class quaternary healthcare facility delivering medical services of a standard that many would previously have sought beyond the continent.
“Nigerians, and citizens across Africa, must take full advantage of this facility—built by African institutions with the steadfast support of our governments,” he noted.
The hospital’s clinical footprint has expanded rapidly over the past year, with its laboratory processing more than 40,000 diagnostic tests and supporting 10 open-heart surgeries, 11 additional cardiac surgical procedures, 99 catheterisation lab interventions, and 173 anaesthesia-supported procedures.
It has also begun rolling out nuclear medicine capabilities, including Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging for bone scans, renograms and perfusion studies, with Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) services expected to follow.
Brian Deaver, AMCE CEO said the Centre’s early results demonstrate the viability of Africa-based tertiary healthcare at scale.
“Our progress, from pioneering clinical achievements to earning growing trust across the region, demonstrates that Africa can build and sustain world-class centres of excellence. With Afreximbank’s continued vision and support, we remain committed to advancing patient care, research, education and innovation to strengthen health systems across the continent,” Deaver said.
He added that the Centre’s trajectory highlights both demand and capacity for high-end care within Africa, as governments and institutions seek to reduce outbound medical travel and retain healthcare spending domestically.
During the visit, Elombi toured key clinical departments, met healthcare professionals and reviewed operational performance and expansion plans. He commended staff for what he described as their role in setting a new benchmark for specialist care delivery on the continent.
Today, AMCE employs more than 600 clinical and non-clinical staff from 12 nationalities, reflecting its positioning as a regional talent hub for specialist healthcare.
The Centre also received Great Place to Work® Certification earlier this year, with 90% of employees affirming it as a positive working environment.
The facility is backed by Afreximbank alongside strategic partners including King’s College Hospital, London, the Bank of Industry and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and is intended to serve as a template for expanding advanced healthcare infrastructure across Africa.
Afreximbank, which has increasingly moved into real-economy development projects alongside its trade finance mandate, said the hospital forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen Africa’s healthcare ecosystem, reduce medical tourism outflows and expand high-skilled employment in the sector.
The bank has also been deploying wider financial architecture tools such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPPS) to support intra-African trade and reduce reliance on external systems, as it deepens its development footprint across the continent.
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